Obama Backers Blame Limbaugh for Clinton Indiana Win
By Fred Lucas
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
May 08, 2008

(CNSNews.com) - Rush Limbaugh's "Operation Chaos" -- a tactic that calls on Republicans to vote for Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries to keep her in the race where she will "bloody" Barack Obama and cause primary mayhem in general -- is apparently working, according to the Obama campaign. The campaign said that the tactic helped Clinton win the Indiana primary on Tuesday.

During a "State of the Campaign" teleconference Wednesday, Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe, and several high-profile supporters talked to reporters about Obama's (D-Ill.) double-digit primary win over Clinton (D-N.Y.) in North Carolina and narrow two-point loss in Indiana.

"If it was not for Republicans taking Democratic ballots, he would have won (Indiana). Rush Limbaugh was tampering with the primary," said Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), the party's 2004 presidential nominee and an Obama supporter. "The GOP has clearly decided they want Hillary as the candidate."

Plouffe also said that Clinton won the Indiana primary Tuesday with the help of Republican voters who responded to "the urging of Rush Limbaugh."

Limbaugh has said that he thinks Obama will be the Democratic presidential nominee. But he has been encouraging his audience of about 14 million listeners to vote for Clinton.

Speaking about "Operation Chaos" on his talk-radio show Tuesday, Limbaugh said it has not only caused chaos in the Democratic Party, but also in the "drive-by media."

"Chaos has sprung up all over this campaign," said Limbaugh. "That was the objective, and I need to issue a sincere thanks to all of you commandos, volunteers, and operatives for one hell of a job. I know how hard this has been for those of you to go out there and follow orders and actually vote for a Clinton. You have had to trust me that I know what I'm doing here, and that that [chaos] will not end up harming you or us, and I appreciate this trust that you have invested in me, your commander-in-chief."Read Transcript

CNN exit polling from the Indiana Democratic primary, with 1,881 respondents, showed that only about 10 percent of voters were Republicans. Among that 10 percent, 54 percent broke for Clinton. Among the 16 percent of voters in the survey who considered themselves conservative, 64 percent voted for Clinton. The 45 percent of voters who identified themselves as moderate voted for Clinton by a margin of 53 percent to 47 percent. (See Exit Poll Results)

Also on Tuesday, Limbaugh read what he called "field reports," or e-mails, to his show from Republicans who apparently voted for Clinton. (Read Transcript)

"Rush, at 8:15 a.m. this morning I voted for Hillary Clinton in the Indiana primary," one voter wrote. "It was tough. I showered twice. I threw up a little bit in my mouth, but I did it. It was an honor to follow your orders."

Limbaugh read another e-mail from another apparent Indiana voter: "Greetings from small-town Indiana. Well, I got up late this morning, put on my old tie-dye, rode my bicycle to the polling place. The lady asked me, 'Republican or Democrat?' Almost swallowing my tongue, I mumbled, 'Democrat.' I cast my vote for Hillary. The day gets worse. The beer store is closed on Election Day. I can't even get the taste out of my mouth, but I'm a loyal soldier."

During the Wednesday teleconference, Plouffe ignored a reporter's question about whether the Obama campaign would make a complaint about Limbaugh to the Federal Election Commission.

Limbaugh had said on Tuesday that he was not tampering with the election.

"I don't think there's anything untoward going on with Operation Chaos," Limbaugh said in response to a caller. "Operation Chaos is balance to all of the fraud that is being committed throughout our electoral process. George Soros is tampering with our electoral process with a huge multibillion-dollar fortune. MoveOn.org is tampering with vast fundraising tentacles. The unions -- I mean, who doesn't 'tamper' with elections, if you want to get right down to it? Everybody tampers with elections because they're trying to influence the outcome. But I'm not a tamperer. I'm an untamperer. I'm trying to level the playing field here somewhat." (Read Transcript)

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